by AUDREY CREEL / December 16, 2020
©Audrey Creel, 2020 (All rights reserved.)
Levinia Maney Bell was born in Tennessee in approximately 1854.[i] It is unknown exactly where Levinia was enslaved prior to emancipation. In 1860, Lewis Maney was the only member of the Maney family to enslave individuals who were the same age as Levinia and both of her parents.[ii] However, Dr. James Maney and Edwin Keeble both enslaved six-year-old females in 1860.[iii] Therefore, it also is possible that Levinia was separated from her family and enslaved by either Dr. Maney or Edwin Keeble. According to Levinia’s father, Nathan Maney, he lived near David Maney’s plantation during the Civil War.[iv] Levinia most likely was enslaved by either Lewis or James Maney and lived with her family on the Maney plantation (present day Oaklands Mansion).
Following the Civil War, Levinia lived with her parents, Nathan and Nance Maney in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.[v] Lenna Maney also lived with Levinia and her parents, but there are no documents to support that Lenna was related to the family.[vi] Levinia was employed as a domestic servant in 1870, though it is unknown where she was employed. Levinia married John Bell Jr. on May 1, 1874 in Rutherford County, Tennessee.[vii] John Bell likely died shortly after his marriage to Levinia. Prior to his death, Levinia and John had two daughters: Willie and Georgia.[viii] In 1880, Levinia lived next to her parents with her two daughters and worked as a cook.[ix] By 1900, Levinia had moved to Nashville, Tennessee and lived with her daughter, Willie.[x] Levinia also lived with several other children: Mattie Allen, Herman Bell, and Herman House.[xi] To date, research has not uncovered any further information about these children. Levinia died in Nashville, Tennessee on April 18, 1904.[xii] Levinia died of heart failure and was buried at Greenwood in Nashville.[xiii]
Children of Levinia (Maney) and John Bell, Jr.
Georgia Bell House
Georgia Bell House was the oldest daughter of Levinia (Maney) and John Bell.[xiv] By 1895, Georgia had moved to Nashville, Tennessee where she married Matthew House on July 9, 1895.[xv] Georgia and Matthew rented a house in Nashville and had two children, Herman and Marion House, by 1900.[xvi] Prior to Marion’s birth, Georgia was employed as a laundress while Matthew worked as a porter in Nashville.[xvii] By 1920, Georgia and Matthew moved to St. Louis, Missouri.[xviii] Georgia and Matthew had four more children: Ethel House (Moore), Herbert House, Lillian House, and Matthew House Jr.[xix] Upon moving to Missouri, Matthew worked as a laborer for a gas company and Georgia was unemployed.[xx] Between 1920 and 1930, Georgia and Matthew divorced, though it is unknown when the two divorced or why.[xxi] In 1930, Georgia worked as a housekeeper for a rooming house and lived with her children and several boarders.[xxii] Matthew House died in September 1939 and was buried in Washington Park.[xxiii] By 1940, Georgia lived with her son, Herbert, in St. Louis, Missouri and was unemployed.[xxiv] Georgia died on August 30, 1953 and was buried at Washington Park in St. Louis.[xxv]
Willie Bell
Willie Bell was the second daughter of Levinia (Maney) and John Bell.[xxvi] Willie lived with her mother through 1900 and was unemployed.[xxvii] There are few records for Willie Bell. By 1930, it appears that Willie Bell married Homer Cox and lived in Hawkins, Tennessee.[xxviii] Willie was unemployed and did not have children, and Homer worked as a general laborer.[xxix] It is unknown when Willie and Homer married or when Willie moved to Hawkins, Tennessee. By 1940, Willie and Homer were still living in Hawkins, Tennessee.[xxx] Willie and Homer owned their home, and both maintained their employment positions.[xxxi] Homer committed suicide on April 19, 1963 and was buried at New Canton Cemetery in Church Hill, Tennessee.[xxxii] Willie Bell Cox died on April 8, 1971 and was buried at Lyons Chapel Cemetery in Church Hill, Tennessee.[xxxiii]
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References
[i] United States Census, “Maney, Levina,” 1870 United States Census, 1870, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7163/images/4275524_00055?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs320&_phstart=successSource&pId=4859012.
[ii] United States Census, “L.M. Manny,” 1860 United States Census – Slave Schedule, 1860, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7668/images/tnm653_1285-0120?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=iaY173&_phstart=successSource&pId=92225235.
[iii] United States Census, “James Manney,” 1860 United States Census – Slave Schedule, 1860, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7668/images/tnm653_1285-0152?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=iaY170&_phstart=successSource&pId=92227684. See also: United States Census, “E.A. Keeble,” 1860 United States Census – Slave Schedule, 1860, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7668/images/tnm653_1285-0152?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=iaY176&_phstart=successSource&pId=92227652.
[iv] U.S. Southern Claims Commission, “Petition of Madison Turner,” Disallowed and Barred Claims, Murfreesboro, TN: October 22, 1872, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1218/images/rhusa1871_102839__0010-00389?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs331&_phstart=successSource&pId=58455.
[v] United States Census, “Maney, Levina,” 1870 United States Census.
[vi] United States Census, “Maney, Levina,” 1870 United States Census.
[vii] Marriage Record, “Bell, John Jr. to Lavina Maney col,” Tennessee, U.S. Marriage Records, 1780-2002: May 1, 1874, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1169/images/VRMUSATN1780_074741-00244?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1962&_phstart=successSource&pId=7034440.
[viii] United States Census, “Bell, Lavinia,” 1880 United States Census, 1880, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6742/images/4244656-00449?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=ca761ca109b4e4b1a12061ccfd116e88&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1966&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=9980870.
[ix] United States Census, “Bell, Lavinia,” 1880 United States Census.
[x] United States Census, “Bell, Levinia,” 1900 United States Census, 1900, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4118951_00695?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1969&_phstart=successSource&pId=69867195.
[xi] United States Census, “Bell, Levinia,” 1900 United States Census.
[xii] Death Record, “Vinnie Bell,” Tennessee, U.S. City Death Records, 1872-1923: April 18, 1904, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/5076/images/33114_266870-01831?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1950&_phstart=successSource&pId=12489118.
[xiii] Death Record, “Vinnie Bell.”
[xiv] United States Census, “Bell, George,” 1880 United States Census, 1880, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6742/images/4244656-00449?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=ca761ca109b4e4b1a12061ccfd116e88&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1966&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=9980870.
[xv] Marriage Record, “House, Matthew to Georgie Bell,” Davidson, TN: July 9, 1895, accessed December 16, 2020 from familysearch.org database, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6PY9-5HZ?i=233&cc=1619127.
[xvi] United States Census, “House, Georgia,” 1900 United States Census, 1900, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4118952_00365?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=iaY213&_phstart=successSource&pId=69889816.
[xvii] United States Census, “House, Georgia,” 1900 United States Census.
[xviii] United States Census, “House, Georgia,” 1920 United States Census, 1920, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4313224-00473?usePUB=true&_phsrc=iaY234&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=109165136.
[xix] United States Census, “House, Georgia,” 1920 United States Census.
[xx] United States Census, “House, Georgia,” 1920 United States Census.
[xxi] United States Census, “House, Georgia,” 1930 United States Census, 1930, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6224/images/4660830_00175?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=iaY240&_phstart=successSource&pId=1368933.
[xxii] United States Census, “House, Georgia,” 1930 United States Census.
[xxiii] Death Record, “Matthew House,” St. Louis, MI: September 1939, accessed December 16, 2020 from Missouri State database, https://www.sos.mo.gov/images/archives/deathcerts/1939/1939_00030912.PDF.
[xxiv] United States Census, “House, Georgia,” 1940 United States Census, 1940, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2442/images/m-t0627-02198-00638?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=iaY255&_phstart=successSource&pId=93117838 .
[xxv] Death Record, “Georgia Bell House,” St. Louis, MI: August 30, 1953, accessed December 16, 2020 from Missouri State database, https://www.sos.mo.gov/images/archives/deathcerts/1953/1953_00033423.PDF.
[xxvi] United States Census, “Bell, Willie,” 1880 United States Census, 1880, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6742/images/4244656-00449?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=ca761ca109b4e4b1a12061ccfd116e88&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1966&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=9980870.
[xxvii] United States Census, “Bell, Willie,” 1900 United States Census, 1900, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4118951_00695?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1969&_phstart=successSource&pId=69867195.
[xxviii] United States Census, “Cox, Willie B.,” 1930 United States Census, 1930, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6224/images/4548168_01057?usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=67481692.
[xxix] United States Census, “Cox, Willie B.,” 1930 United States Census.
[xxx] United States Census, “Cox, Willie Bell,” 1940 United States Census, 1940, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2442/images/m-t0627-03902-00682?usePUB=true&_phsrc=hjY158&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=37713555.
[xxxi] United States Census, “Cox, Willie Bell,” 1940 United States Census.
[xxxii] Death Record, “Homer Cox,” Church Hill, TN: April 19, 1963, accessed December 16, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2376/images/2376_b929505-01243?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=iaY275&_phstart=successSource&pId=46648536.
[xxxiii] Grave Site, “Willie Bell Cox,” Church Hill, TN: April 8, 1971, accessed December 16, 2020 from findagrave.com database, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/209158390/willie-bell-cox.
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